At a look
Knowledgeable’s Score
Execs
- Loads of energy
- Very cheap worth
- Improved battery capability
- Premium and transportable design
Cons
- Few software program enhancements
- Some accent bugs
Our Verdict
The Xiaomi Pad 8 is one of the best worth Android pill to beat (once more), with specs that far exceed its cheap worth. It has a handsome display screen, loads of processing energy and a pleasant compact construct, so it’s simple to hold round with you. A couple of tough edges and a few areas which don’t present enhancements from the Pad 7 ought to do little to dissuade you when you’re within the slate.
Worth When Reviewed
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Finest Pricing At this time
Worth When Reviewed
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Finest Costs At this time: Xiaomi Pad 8
I’ve lengthy really useful members of its line as one of the best Android pill alternate options to iPads, and the Xiaomi Pad 8 is one other strong slate from the Chinese language model – it updates the specs of the Xiaomi Pad 7 and makes a number of different enhancements.
Launched alongside the Xiaomi Pad 8 Professional, this mannequin has a bigger battery, thinner body and extra RAM than its predecessor, however the greatest improve is using the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, which supplies this entry-level mannequin with close to top-end processing.
Past the upgrades, it’s nonetheless the Xiaomi Pad 7 that we all know and love – our favorite worth pill of final yr. It presents a comparatively compact and transportable Android pill that’ll be nice for college students, with a handsome show and cheap battery life. All for simply £399, although you’ll usually discover it for much less.
If any criticisms could be levelled, it’s in departments that haven’t seen wish-list upgrades, and I discovered the Sensible Keyboard had a number of issues.
Design & Construct
- Compact but premium
- Digital camera module protrudes
- Three color choices: inexperienced, blue, gray
Xiaomi has stored the design language from its earlier tablets in place with the Pad 8, however it’s made some small refinements that aren’t revealed at first look.
The gold rush on skinny gadgets might not be as impassioned in 2026 because it was a yr in the past (Honor MagicPad 4 apart), however Xiaomi has managed to trim the width of the pill down to five.75 inches, and the burden all the way down to 485g (admittedly solely a saving of 5g, however higher than nothing).
Tom Bedford / Foundry
These all come collectively to create a slate that feels just a little extra compact than many different Androids in the marketplace, and I’ve come to essentially like the corporate’s slates as they’ll slot in a bag or on a cramped desk rather more readily than alternate options.
Like in its predecessor, Xiaomi hasn’t put a fingerprint scanner within the Pad 8, however having examined the Professional mannequin’s implementation of the facility button-mounted sensor, it’s no loss. This button, and the amount rocker, don’t stick out very removed from the pill – I can’t say the identical in regards to the big digital camera bump, and the few instances I didn’t use a case, this made the pill rock when positioned flat on a desk.
The pill is available in Pine Inexperienced, Blue or Gray (examined) choices, a shopping for choice which’ll quantity to little when you select to purchase a case to clad the slate in.
Equipment
- Focus Pen stylus
- Two keyboard choices, one stand
- All offered individually
The Xiaomi Pad 8 sells alongside a number of totally different equipment, all of which appear ‘impressed’ by Apple’s equivalents, however they’re welcome choices nonetheless. I examined all of them alongside the pill, and stored the Focus Pen and Focus Keyboard hooked as much as the machine for the complete testing interval.
The primary is a stylus. It connects to the pill through a magnetic strip on an extended facet, and costs when it’s tethered like this – no separate USB charging required.
It connects robotically to the Pad 8, and is simply as helpful for navigating at a swipe as for drawing or jotting notes. It even has a number of gestures, like squeezing to deliver up a mini menu to vary your pen sort, and I desire it as top-of-the-line Apple Pencil rvials I’ve ever used.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
The Focus Keyboard has all of the keys you want, in addition to a trackpad – I personally don’t use trackpads a lot on touch-screen gadgets, however it was helpful after I wanted precision. The folio feels sturdy and didn’t decide up a mark or dent in lots of backpack ride-alongs.
One odd concern I discovered, although, is that when typing with the Keyboard and midway by a phrase, the working system would generally auto-complete the phrase and add within the completed article, but not take away the half-written one. I’d need to backspace to take away the hanger-on. It didn’t occur on a regular basis, however each couple of minutes, and it didn’t happen after I typed with the on-screen keyboard.
In case you don’t want the trackpad, the Keyboard offers you extra space for typing. Wish to hold issues easy? The Pad 8 cowl does what it says on the tin: retains the factor coated up when it’s in your bag. It may well additionally maintain the slate vertically or horizontally, with just a little kick-stand-type folding mechanism.
All of those peripherals are designed for the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Professional, so you need to use them when you’re on both machine.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
Display & Audio system
- 11.2-inch 3.2K show
- LCD, 144Hz
- Quad audio system and Dolby Atmos sound
Xiaomi has opted for the “if it ain’t broke” mantra when choosing display screen specs, because the Pad 8 show has seemingly no upgrades over its predecessor – and doesn’t really want it.
Which means it’s an 11.2-inch show, the identical as Apple’s entry-level iPad, however at a 3:2 side ratio, making it wider. The decision is 3200 x 2136, or 3.2K, with a pixel-per-inch rely of 345, and a refresh fee of 144Hz. Motion pictures, exhibits and video games look nice, and I don’t think about a slate may look higher with out upgrading to OLED.
That is LCD, however top-of-the-line you’ll discover and a purpose why Xiaomi is ready to hit an reasonably priced worth.
The Xiaomi Pad 8 helps Dolby Imaginative and prescient, which boosts HDR in video. Nevertheless, I usually discovered that when utilizing the pill’s auto-brightness, it’d make content material look method darker than I’d like (or than different slates do). I discovered myself manually altering brightness consequently, which made my exhibits look method higher.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
It’s not all about leisure, although, and a few helpful show modifications make the display screen worthy for common use. These embrace flicker discount and low-blue-light instruments to forestall eye pressure over lengthy classes. There’s additionally an non-compulsory studying mode, which impacts the color scheme and textures of things, and you may schedule this for sure hours.
4 audio system across the pill permit it to do a good job within the audio division too, with Dolby Atmos help and a quantity increase function, which ensured I used to be by no means reaching for my headphones when watching TV. The machine additionally helps Hello-Res & Hello-Res Wi-fi Audio, one thing that you may’t say about many equally priced alternate options.
If you wish to pay attention through wired headphones, you’ll have to make use of USB-C ones (or a converter), as there’s no headphone jack. The pill helps a Bluetooth 6.0 connection, a model of the usual which presents higher dealing with of a number of devices and lower-latency connections.
All good, although minor, upgrades over the Pad 7’s Bluetooth 5.2.
Specs & Efficiency
- Highly effective Snapdragon 8s efficiency
- Two storage choices
- No 4G/5G possibility
One of many headline upgrades on the Xiaomi Pad 8 is that it presents a extra highly effective processor than its predecessor – in reality, the corporate has granted it a higher-end element, which is an enormous transfer for the reason that Pad 7 has a mid-range chip.
That is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which we additionally noticed within the likes of the Nothing Cellphone (3) and Xiaomi’s personal Poco F7; it’s not fairly the tip-top chipset Android gadgets have ever seen, however it’s spectacular for this worth, with many rivals going as low cost as they’ll get away with.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
And it exhibits, as a result of the Pad 8 is an actual efficiency powerhouse, smashing by the video games I examined on it. I didn’t see any stutters or lag, plus load instances have been quick throughout the board.
Benchmark assessments present the Pad 8 as a strong step up from its predecessor, and one of the highly effective mid-range Android slates you should purchase proper now. Its Geekbench multi-core scores have been all between 6,200 and 6,400 (about 1,000 greater than the Pad 7), whereas 3DMark’s Wild Life Excessive Stress Take a look at noticed it keep a framerate between 17- and 32fps.
There are two RAM choices with 8- and 12GB fashions. Nevertheless, the UK has solely been granted the 8GB possibility as per the Pad 7. It is a disgrace for anybody wanting as a lot energy as potential, however it must be sufficient for most individuals.
You’ll be able to select between two storage capacities of 128- and 256GB, with the latter providing quicker UFS 4.1 storage too. It’s seemingly price the additional £50 relying on what number of apps you intend to put in and when you use cloud storage.
There’s no expandable storage, although, simply as there’s no SIM slot (or help for an eSIM) – it’s Wi-Fi or bust right here, so look elsewhere when you want 4G or 5G inbuilt.
Cameras
- 13Mp rear
- 8Mp entrance
- Digital camera-on alert LED
Xiaomi has chosen to retain the identical digital camera specs within the Pad 8 as its predecessor, and there are not any complaints right here, as somebody who primarily makes use of these modules to scan paperwork or partake in video calls. The 50Mp snappers of the Professional fashions aren’t in play right here, regardless of the chunky digital camera bump.
The rear digital camera is a 13Mp, whereas the entrance one is 8Mp, and each are completely suited to enterprise duties. Footage are nice, although miss the vibrancy or contrast-boosting options of Xiaomi’s smartphones. You’ll be able to leap into calls at 1080p, and report for your self at that decision too.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
I used to be shocked by how huge the sphere of view is for the entrance digital camera (and by that I imply, individuals in video calls with me, have been shocked by how a lot of my room they obtained to see!). It offers a extra expansive view than the entrance cameras on iPads or different tablets I’ve examined, in addition to my smartphone.
One neat function, which I’d like to see on extra tablets, is that just a little LED lights up on the entrance of the pill when the digital camera is on. It’s a small however appreciated design contact that permits you to know when your pill is you, partly for privateness causes, and partly so that you don’t depart the factor on by mistake.
Battery Life & Charging
- 9200mAh battery
- 45W charging
- USB-A to USB-C cable in field
One of many enhancements Xiaomi has carried out over earlier generations of pill is a much bigger battery than earlier than. It now measures 9200mAh, which brings its capability near that of tablets with a lot larger screens.
This pool of energy is sufficient to assuage battery nervousness for any person, and it’s simply as properly, as I didn’t discover the previous Xiaomi Pads very sturdy for battery life. Not the case right here, although, and I may take pleasure in for much longer espresso store writing classes earlier than the battery began to fade.
Likewise, a number of the extra intensive benchmarking assessments I used had noticeably much less of an influence on the battery share than they’d on the 7 Professional, which I examined.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
The pill’s charging velocity hasn’t seen an improve from the Pad 7, at 45W, which in impact signifies that powering takes a small quantity longer as a result of bigger cell.
In idea, you’re 0-100% speeds of over an hour and a half with that type of wattage, however anecdotally, I really feel that charging velocity was a lot quicker than this.
You obtain a USB-A to USB-C cable within the field with the pill, however no wall adaptor. Xiaomi recommends utilizing one in all its personal, however I powered the pill with about ten totally different cable and adaptor combos throughout testing and by no means noticed any points.
Software program & AI
- Android 16
- HyperOS 3
- 4 years of software program help
The Xiaomi Pad 8 runs Android 16 by default, with the corporate’s home-brewed HyperOS 3 laid excessive. I’ve lengthy insisted that HyperOS is without doubt one of the most helpful Android pill working techniques, with quick-to-summon split-screening and an interface which makes use of the house it’s given. It presents a better diploma of theme customisation than many alternate options, and has a number of distinctive animations for easy gestures and duties that supply the slate its personal ‘really feel’.
HyperOS, like MIUI earlier than it, isn’t excellent, and my pet peeve is that Mi Browser retains sending me information tales and adverts, like those you possibly can see within the image beneath. As I write this paragraph, I’ve acquired an advert for the launch of this very pill from the browser, in addition to site visitors updates (I don’t drive). There are additionally a good few extra pre-installed apps than some customers could like, although Xiaomi’s getting higher about this.
HyperOS 3’s headline options are equal elements connectivity instruments, that are actually helpful for gadget homeowners on numerous ecosystems, and the suite of AI options which all Android tablets these days include.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
The primary of these is known as Xiaomi HyperConnect, which lets your pill work alongside different devices seamlessly. Partly, that is for good house equipment like lights in addition to health trackers, and in some methods it’s for Xiaomi cellphone customers – in a gathering, for instance, you possibly can change out of your pill’s digital camera to your cellphone’s, to make use of its totally different lenses.
Nevertheless, HyperConnect additionally has built-in linking instruments for Home windows PCs and Macs, which allow you to simply switch recordsdata and pictures between gadgets and, within the case of Home windows, use your cellphone through your pc.
Then there’s Xiaomi HyperAI, a collection of AI technology instruments that solely appear to be out there in Xiaomi’s personal apps. That makes the helpful ones like AI Speech Recognition and AI Interpreter just a little finicky to make use of, however means the iffy gen-AI ones like AI Writing and AI Artwork aren’t intrusive when you don’t like utilizing this sort of factor. As somebody who writes, attracts and edits pictures in third-party apps, I didn’t come throughout HyperAI instruments after I wasn’t searching them down.
For software program help, the Pad 8 will get 4 years as soon as once more. It’s good however you may get longer from the likes of Samsung if that is necessary.
Worth & Availability
The bottom worth of the Xiaomi Pad 8 is £399, which is able to get you 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Then there’s a mannequin with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage which is able to price you £449.
These costs mark a worth hike over the Pad 7’s prices of £30 and £50 respectively, which is a modest enhance however price figuring out because the older pill is of course just a little cheaper now.
You should buy it from Xiaomi in addition to the likes of Amazon. It’s not out there within the USA.
Tom Bedford / Foundry
The Pad 8 is dearer than the larger however weaker OnePlus Pad Go 2, beginning at £319, and big-battery Honor Pad 10, beginning at £299, however extra reasonably priced than the £499-priced Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE.
The costs for the equipment are as follows, although Xiaomi will virtually all the time low cost them at checkout if you are going to buy through the official retailer.
- Cowl – £45
- Focus Pen Professional -£89
- Keyboard – £119
- Focus Keyboard – £179
Try our information to one of the best tablets and greatest finances tablets for extra choices.
Must you purchase the Xiaomi Pad 8?
Pill patrons who need a strong, mid-range Android pill, particularly one which doesn’t break the financial institution, will discover the Xiaomi Pad 8 an incredible possibility.
Its specs present it as an actual leisure, gaming and work powerhouse; you’d wrestle to get as highly effective a chip on a smartphone at this worth, and its show and battery energy are simply as admirable.
Equipment make it dearer, however they may very well be an actual game-changer for a lot of customers. As soon as once more, you’ll wrestle to discover a higher worth pill in the marketplace with this stage of {hardware} and options.
Specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
- 8GB / 12GB RAM
- 128GB / 256GB storage
- 11in 144Hz 3.2K (3200 x 2136) IPS LCD show
- Quad audio system
- 13Mp predominant digital camera, f/2.2
- 8Mp entrance digital camera, f/2.2
- USB-C
- WiFi 6
- Bluetooth 6.0
- 9200mAh battery
- Wired charging as much as 45W
- 485g
- 251.2 x 173. x 5.75mm
- Android 16 with HyperOS 3